La Sheridan, as she became known to enthusiastic opera fans throughout Europe, was born Margaret Burke Sheridan in the town of Castlebar in Ireland. From 1918 until her sudden retirement from the stage of grand opera in 1930, she gave legendary performances in the great opera houses of La Scala, San Carlo, Rome Opera House, Covent Garden, Monte Carlo...
Orphaned as a young child, her rise to fame is a story
of success and of misfortune, of romance and tempestuousness,
of a fiery and formidable exterior, concealing a vulnerable
and lonely person.
Discovered by Marconi, tutored by Puccini, dubbed
the 'Empress of Ireland' by Toscanini, sharing the
stage with such Gigli, Pertile, Stabile, Badini, Lauri
Volpi, Toti del Monte, Eva Turner and revered by critics
and opera lovers around the world, Margaret Burke
Sheridan was a complex woman and a prima donna in
the true sense.
REVIEWS
'A first-rate biography
from Anne Chambers…The appeal of the book is
not merely for opera-lovers - for whom it is a must
- but also for the general reader.' Irish Post.
'an engaging and indeed quite gripping book. It brings to life a powerful personality who steps from the pages with an imperious and temperamental swagger concealing the highly vulnerable and sensitive artist who hides beneath.'' Alpha
'an absorbing book that also fills in the background to the career with a loving care for detail.' Opera
The book was the subject of a major documentary, BRIEF BUTTERFLY, filmed on location in Ireland, England, and Italy and broadcast by RTE in 1989.
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Published byMERLIN PUBLISHING/WOLFHOUND PRESS,
Newmarket Hall
Cork Street, Dublin 8, Ireland.
Tel: 353 1 4535866
Fax: 353 1 4535930
E-mail: publishing@merlin.ie
Web : www.merlinwolfhound.com
and available from all good book stores at 12 euro
Information on all foreign, translation, film and other rights is available from Jonathan Williams Literary Agency Rosney Mews, Upper Glenegeary Road , Glenegeary. Co Dublin . Ireland Phone/fax 353 1 280 3482
